How is Single Pot Still Whiskey made?
Understanding what whiskey is made of is crucial in appreciating the drink’s character. In our journal, we will guide you through the steps of making Single Pot Still Whiskey. Traditionally made in Ireland, it is considered the quintessential Irish Whiskey. However, as we live in Australia - we are making Australian Single Pot Still Whiskey.
Brewing
The brewing process is a very significant part of making whiskey. At Tara Distillery we brew our own beer wash (minus the hops) onsite as it’s important to us to have our own Tara Whiskey profile from start to finish. We believe all parts make up the sum when crafting whiskey - our environment, water, grain, yeast, equipment and process all directly affect the character and flavour of our whiskey. In Australia, many other distilleries source their wash from other breweries. It’s also the reason we call it Single Pot Still Whiskey meaning its crafted onsite by us – a single distillery.
The brewing part of the whiskey making process is to convert the barley’s sugar content into alcohol and involves milling, mashing, and fermenting.
Grain Selection
Pot Still Whiskey is made from malted barley and unmalted barley and often also has a small amount of another grain, such as oats, wheat, or rye.
The Malting process breaks down the barley’s starch content into simple sugars. Barley is soaked in water to allow it to germinate. The barley grows for several days producing enzymes to convert into sugars. Lastly the barley is heated to finish the drying process. The hot air stops the barley from growing anymore so that the sugars and enzymes remain.
Milling
During milling, the malted barley, unmalted barley, and oats are ground into a course flour called grist.
Mashing
The grist in mixed with hot water to create a mash in the mash tun. During mashing the remaining starch content is converted into fermentable sugars. The mash is then filtered to separate the grist from the sugary water, which is called wort liquid. The left-over grain (or draff) is removed from the filter and provided to local cattle and sheep farmers as spent grain to eat.
Fermentation
The wort liquid from mashing is pumped into large vessel called a fermenter, and yeast is added. The yeast consumes the sugar in the wort converting the sugars into alcohol and the fermentation process is complete anywhere between 3 to 5 days. The liquid is now called the wash and is approximately 8% to 10% alcohol by volume. Fermentation times may vary depending on the desired flavour.
The Whiskey Distillation Process
Distillation in copper pot stills is particularly important for making whiskey, as it tends to produce a fuller-flavoured spirit compared to column stills.
When making our Single Pot Still Whiskey, the wash undergoes a triple distillation in copper stills, meaning it is distilled three times.
The first distillation in the pot still produces what’s called low wines. Each distillation is carefully controlled to extract the optimal balance of purity and flavour. The final distillate achieves a higher concentration of alcohol and a complexity of flavours that encapsulates the essence of the original ingredients.
The result is a clear, high ABV liquid know as new make spirit. Making whiskey is an intricate dance between science and art from the selection and treatment of grains to the precise distillation conditions. It’s a celebration of tradition, craft, and the subtle nuances that make each bottle of whiskey a unique expression of its origins.
Maturation
One of the most important contributions to flavour and aroma comes from the wood casks in which the spirit is stored. After distillation, the clear new make spirit enters the barrel, soaks up the colour and flavours of the wood, slowly turning into whiskey. The barrels are often charred or toasted on the inside, which also imparts flavour and colour to the whiskey as it matures. In Australia, Whiskey has be aged in a wood barrel for a minimum of two years to be called whiskey.
Blending
After ageing, some whiskey may be blended with other single pot still whiskey barrels to achieve a certain flavour profile. It is then diluted to bottling strength usually around 40 to 46% ABV with pure water.
Bottling and Labelling
Once the pot still whiskey has reached its desired level of maturity, it is then bottled. During this stage the whiskey can be diluted down to bottling strength, a minimum of 40% ABV. However, whiskey can also be bottled as cask strength and no additional water is added.
Each part of the whiskey making process has an influence on the final flavour and character of the whiskey. Cheers!
Understanding what whiskey is made of is crucial in appreciating the drink’s character. In our journal, we will guide you through the steps of making Single Pot Still Whiskey. Traditionally made in Ireland, it is considered the quintessential Irish Whiskey. However, as we live in Australia - we are making Australian Single Pot Still Whiskey.
Brewing
The brewing process is a very significant part of making whiskey. At Tara Distillery we brew our own beer wash (minus the hops) onsite as it’s important to us to have our own Tara Whiskey profile from start to finish. We believe all parts make up the sum when crafting whiskey - our environment, water, grain, yeast, equipment and process all directly affect the character and flavour of our whiskey. In Australia, many other distilleries source their wash from other breweries. It’s also the reason we call it Single Pot Still Whiskey meaning its crafted onsite by us – a single distillery.
The brewing part of the whiskey making process is to convert the barley’s sugar content into alcohol and involves milling, mashing, and fermenting.
Grain Selection
Pot Still Whiskey is made from malted barley and unmalted barley and often also has a small amount of another grain, such as oats, wheat, or rye.
The Malting process breaks down the barley’s starch content into simple sugars. Barley is soaked in water to allow it to germinate. The barley grows for several days producing enzymes to convert into sugars. Lastly the barley is heated to finish the drying process. The hot air stops the barley from growing anymore so that the sugars and enzymes remain.
Milling
During milling, the malted barley, unmalted barley, and oats are ground into a course flour called grist.
Mashing
The grist in mixed with hot water to create a mash in the mash tun. During mashing the remaining starch content is converted into fermentable sugars. The mash is then filtered to separate the grist from the sugary water, which is called wort liquid. The left-over grain (or draff) is removed from the filter and provided to local cattle and sheep farmers as spent grain to eat.
Fermentation
The wort liquid from mashing is pumped into large vessel called a fermenter, and yeast is added. The yeast consumes the sugar in the wort converting the sugars into alcohol and the fermentation process is complete anywhere between 3 to 5 days. The liquid is now called the wash and is approximately 8% to 10% alcohol by volume. Fermentation times may vary depending on the desired flavour.
The Whiskey Distillation Process
Distillation in copper pot stills is particularly important for making whiskey, as it tends to produce a fuller-flavoured spirit compared to column stills.
When making our Single Pot Still Whiskey, the wash undergoes a triple distillation in copper stills, meaning it is distilled three times.
The first distillation in the pot still produces what’s called low wines. Each distillation is carefully controlled to extract the optimal balance of purity and flavour. The final distillate achieves a higher concentration of alcohol and a complexity of flavours that encapsulates the essence of the original ingredients.
The result is a clear, high ABV liquid know as new make spirit. Making whiskey is an intricate dance between science and art from the selection and treatment of grains to the precise distillation conditions. It’s a celebration of tradition, craft, and the subtle nuances that make each bottle of whiskey a unique expression of its origins.
Maturation
One of the most important contributions to flavour and aroma comes from the wood casks in which the spirit is stored. After distillation, the clear new make spirit enters the barrel, soaks up the colour and flavours of the wood, slowly turning into whiskey. The barrels are often charred or toasted on the inside, which also imparts flavour and colour to the whiskey as it matures. In Australia, Whiskey has be aged in a wood barrel for a minimum of two years to be called whiskey.
Blending
After ageing, some whiskey may be blended with other single pot still whiskey barrels to achieve a certain flavour profile. It is then diluted to bottling strength usually around 40 to 46% ABV with pure water.
Bottling and Labelling
Once the pot still whiskey has reached its desired level of maturity, it is then bottled. During this stage the whiskey can be diluted down to bottling strength, a minimum of 40% ABV. However, whiskey can also be bottled as cask strength and no additional water is added.
Each part of the whiskey making process has an influence on the final flavour and character of the whiskey. Cheers!